1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the storing and dispensing of photographic containers such as a rupturable pod containing a processing liquid, and more specifically to an apparatus and method for forming a photographic pod-tape product for storing and dispensing pods.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the photographic art to provide rupturable photographic containers such as pods of the type comprising a pair of facing rectangular walls formed of deformable sheet material secured to one another at their marginal edges to form a cavity for a liquid processing agent. Such containers are usable in film units of the type comprising an image-recording sheet, and a print-receiving sheet which is superposed with the image-recording sheet during processing. The two sheets have a rupturable photographic pod associated therewith, and processing of the film unit is effected by feeding the film unit through a pair of pressure-applying rolls. The rolls rupture the pod and distribute the processing liquid from the pod in a layer between the image recording and print-receiving sheets for processing the previously exposed image-recording sheet.
In the manufacture of film units of the aforementioned type, it is known to store the rupturable photographic pods in magazines or the like, by stacking a quantity of the pods, like a deck of cards, inside the magazine. When it is desired to feed the pods onto a web or the like for forming film units, the pods are preferably pushed out of the magazine into a feed chute as a free stack of pods. One disadvantage of manually storing and handling the pods in this manner is that premature rupture of a pod and release of the liquid may result. This problem is further aggravated by the fact that the liquid content in many instances is viscous, hardens on exposure to air and is highly corrosive. Another product capable of storing and handling photographic pods is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,246,739. This photographic product comprises spaced pods connected to one another by a pair of narrow elongated connecting members secured in substantially parallel relation to the end marginal portion of the pods. The pods are positioned with longitudinal marginal portions in substantially parallel relation, facing in the same direction, and are spaced from one another so that the product resembles a ladder with the pods corresponding to the rungs of the ladder. The ladder of pods is stored by winding the ladder onto a reel or the like. One disadvatage of this product is that it is complicated and hence difficult and costly to manufacture. Another disadvantage of this product when used for storing and dispensing pods is that the volume of pods that can be stored on one reel is relatively small. Consequently, the pods cannot be fed rapidly from the storage strip with the result that the rate of manufacture of film units is low. In addition, a severing mechanism is necessary for severing the connecting members between successive pods to permit the pods to be fed, one at a time, into association with a sheet over which the liquid content is to be distributed. Another disadvantage of this product when wound in a roll is that the pods in certain instances are in overlying relation and any force directed radially inwardly on the roll due to, for example, a buildup of convolutions of product may rupture one or more of the pods.
It is further known in the art to provide apparatus and methods for affixing articles to the adhesive surface of a continuous web, and to wind the web on a reel to form a storage unit from which the articles may be individually dispensed. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,140,010 and 3,713,955 are exemplary of such apparatus and methods. None of such apparatus or methods, however, is capable of forming a photographic pod-tape product for storing and dispensing photographic pods.